2. We often hear about the top box office films, top new music artists, and top
movie nominees of the year. How often do we hear about the top philanthropist?
Unless you closely monitor the world of philanthropy, the answer is almost never.
Well, my friends, I have some good news! ‘Tis the season for the giving and
within these slides you can find a list of the top names in philanthropy in 2015.
3. Edythe and Eli Broad
The couple has two well-known foundations, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and The Broad Art
Foundation. Both foundations have produced an estimated 2.1 billion and have lead the way in
prominent civic projects, contemporary art, public education, and scientific and medical research.
4. Marie-Josee and Henry Kravis
The couple decided to donated
a sum of $100 million to
fund a molecular oncology
program at
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer
Center.
5. Bill and Melinda Gates
The Gates Foundation invested $52 million in a German pharmaceutical company that
is developing advanced vaccines. Their contributions don’t end there. The couple also
donated $1.55 billion to Gavi, a vaccine company servicing impoverished countries.
6. Warren Buffet
Warren Buffet committed to the
“Giving Pledge”, promising to
donate half his wealth throughout
the duration of his life. Warren also
contributed $215 million in
scholarships to the
Susan Thompson Buffet
Foundation, more than
2.1 billion to the Gates Foundation,
and relatively $150 million
respectively to his children’s
foundations.
7. George Lucas and Mellody Hobson
The couple hopes to improve K-12 education through a $25 million dollar
donation to the Chicago-based program, After School Matters.
8. Paul Allen
The benevolent co-founder of
Microsoft contributed $100 million
to the fight against Ebola and
$100 million to develop a
Seattle-based institute devoted to
the study of human cell biology.
9. Adam Braun
Founder of an organization known as
Pencils of Promise, Braun has developed
295 schools around the world. In recent
news, his program launched “Passport”,
a monthly giving program that donates
100 percent of its earnings to
educate its current pupils.
10. Mark and Priscilla Chan Zuckerberg
The Zuckerbergs donated $75 million to San Fransisco General Hospital -- newly
renamed Zuckerberg General Hospital in their honor -- for the construction of an
emergency room, two trauma rooms, and three operating rooms. The couple also
pledged to donate 99% of their throughout their lifetime.